NEEC History
Our Foundation
In the 1970s, 2015 NEEC Lifetime Achievement Award winner, Mason Phelps, moved from California to Rhode Island. At the time, California had an equitation final for just about everybody and when Mason moved to New England he found that there were no equitation finals – he set about changing that. In order to start the New Horseman’s Junior Medal class, Mason had to become a board member of RIHA. He was then able to join the New England Horseman’s Council board and get the Finals started. With the help of Liz Rooney and Gerry Reeves they started the process to convincing the New England Horseman’s Council that an equitation medal was needed.
In doing so they created the New England Equitation Committee which organizes and runs the New England Horseman’s Council Hunt Seat Medal Finals (hereafter “the Finals”). The original Committee consisted of Mason Phelps, Jamie Mann, Joe Dotoli, Julie Ulrich and Nancy Ciesluk. Over time the Committee added Jay Sargent, John Strohmeier, Dana Jungherr, Fred Hunt, Bob Crawford, and Carl Catani; and more recently Pam Hunt, Lauren Stevens, Debbie Hoyt Banfield, Cookie DeSimone, Amy Eidson, Kristen Bumpus, Armand Chenelle, Kathy Fletcher, Patti Harnois, Olana Laffey, Linda Langmeier and Laurel Tinney; and most recently joining Monica Hunt, Kate McDaniel, Johanna Hyyppa and Kellie Riordan. The Committee has always consisted of professional horsemen.
How We've Grown
Through the years the judging panel has evolved from just one judge to six judges, working in pairs. The scoreboard with instant running results began in 1993 when the show moved to its latest venue at the Big E in West Springfield, Massachusetts. That same year, the Adult division grew to the point of needing age groups – younger and older adult riders. In 2002, the growing adult division was divided yet again into younger, middle and older. In 2017, it increased again to include four adult divisions.
The Finals have expanded to include many awards and innovative events. Awards such as the Lifetime Achievement Award named in honor of A. Martin Simenson, D.V.M.; the Joanne C. Corsiglia Scholarship Award dedicated to the memory of Mr. and Mrs. Frederick Reeve, given to both a junior and an adult proven worthy of the award; and the “Nicholas” award, which is a Career Achievement Award for horses.
Creative thinker, Joe Dotoli, added the Horsemanship Class in 1997. It has three sections: a written exam, a practicum and the rider’s first round score from the Finals class. It is named after the rider who won the first year, Katie Battison, who passed away at an early age. This class is now copied across the country and is highly competitive. Some winners have even gone on to be veterinarians!
In 1998, Joe came up with another great class idea: The Challenge of the States. This class, held on Saturday, is open to the junior and adult riders with the top scores from the Open equitation classes who then represent their state. Trainers are not allowed to help riders – they do their own course walk, schooling and planning. Riders dress up in great costumes and work as a team. If given the choice, many riders say they would choose riding in the Challenge of the States over riding in the Finals. It is a true highlight to the weekend.
What is likely the most anticipated event of the show is the Junior Celebration held on Friday night. This dinner is open to all junior riders, their families and trainers. It features a professional musical video presentation that captures the year-long competitions leading up to the Finals and includes photos and video clips from the lives of the juniors who are in their last year of showing.
The New England Championships have grown from just 17 riders in 1976 to a record 253 junior riders in 2010 and a record 208 adult riders in 2009. Its competitors have gone on to become veterinarians, professional riders and trainers, Ivy League scholars, Olympic Gold Medalists and more. What was once a single class lumped in at another hose show is now its own renowned Final held over five days at its own venue and is broadcast worldwide on ClipMyHorse.TV.
Changes of Venue
Providence Civic Center “RI Horse Show” Providence, RI
With just 17 Junior riders, the Finals was a class held during the regular show, mixed in with other classes. The specifications back then were that fences were not to exceed 3’6”, there was a flat phase and the top four were tested.
1977 – 1980
Shamrock Stables, Portsmouth RI
1981 – 1983
Flying Horse Stable, Hamilton, MA
1984
Shallowbrook Equestrian Center, Somers CT
The Finals became its own event.
1985
Young Entry Stable, Hamilton, MA
1986
Forest Hill Stable, Grantham, NH
1987 – 1992
Mount Holyoke College, South Hadley, MA
Held in conjunction with the Massachusetts
Junior Finals until 1988 when, because of the rapid growth of the Finals (due in part to the addition of an Adult division that year), the Massachusetts Junior Finals decided to find its own venue.
1993 – 2019
Big E, West Springfield, MA
2020
Fieldstone Show Park, Halifax, MA
2021 – 2023
Big E, West Springfield, MA
Group of graduating juniors thanking the NEEC Committee
